Logging into Manawan: a “blunder” that can be costly according to CSN

In February, Henri Dubé’s family from the Atikamekw community of Manawan erected a barrier around kilometer 60 between Saint-Michel-des-Saints and Manawan to prevent a forester from continuing his activities in the territory. . He blamed Scierie St-Michel for unauthorized cutting of its maple grove.

An investigation by the Ministry of Forests, Wildlife and Parks concluded that responsibility was shared between the ministry, which authorized the cuts, and Scierie St-Michel, which decided to proceed without family approval.

However, no penalty or compensation is provided. This caused anger and frustration of the family and the Atikamekw Council of Manawan.

The Federation of Manufacturing Industry regrets a lack of rigidity of the Quebec government and qualifies this decision as mistake [qui] is not without consequences. The Atikamekw of Manawan unanimously decided last week to keep the dam and the moratorium on logging.

According to the FIM-CSN, about 400 jobs are at risk. One road for the sawmill and the other to forest workers and suppliers.

This is an explosive file, said Louis Bégin, President of FIM-CSN. Not in magnify conflict or add fuel to the fire and allow discussions to move forward, neither the Federation nor the employees wished to comment on the matter prior to the official presentation of the report. But reading the latter they have anger and rageaccording to Louis Bégin.

What really worries us is that [le ministère] played the sorcerer’s apprentice in this file. We have a department that didn’t take this big issue seriously and didn’t pick up the file when it was time or do things accordingly. Who will pay the bill eventually? The employees, angered the president of FIM-CSN. Because, he remembers, if Atikamekw maintains the dam, it is for assert their rights.

The president and director of Scierie St-Michel, Jean-François Champoux, has already indicated that he wants to start his activities on June 6, but without putting pressure around kilometer 60. He is not very confident in the upcoming moon.

The union members are very worriedaccording to the president of the Union of Employees of the Sawmill, Marcel Hogue. We cannot understand why the government has not yet intervened to fix its mistake, he said. He still fears that working hours will be reduced from June if no action is taken.

The Federation of Manufacturing is concerned that other First Countries will follow suit and make similar requests. We are very worried that it will become more radical and we will end up with a more complex filehe says.

This kind of wrong move can take us back several years into our relationship with Atikamekw. We need to find a way to reconcile before it’s all too late.indicates for her part the president of the Central Council of Lanaudière, Patricia Rivest, in a press release.

A working committee between the MFFP, the Atikamekw Council of Manawan and the Atikamekw Nation Council is currently finalizing its work to better redefine the rules of the game and find a common ground aimed at respecting the Atikamekw way of life in territorial planning and management.

Louis Bégin believes that on the results of the investigation into the Dubé family sugar bush, the government was defeated his credibility. According to him, it is a committee to fix broken pots.

He challenges Minister Pierre Dufour: It’s time to stop forest management gradually and lay down the bad news.

The ministry has not yet responded to a request for comment on the case.

For its part, Resolute Forest Products indicates that the dam has not directly affected them so far and the company has no further fears. He said he maintains dialogue and exchanges with the parties.

However, the senior director, public affairs and government relations of the Louis Bouchard group nonetheless hope to be a the long -term solution to this situation can intervene as soon as possible for the good of all.